NEWARK, NJ, November 15, 2001 -- NJ TRANSIT is gearing up for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend, adjusting its rail, light rail and bus service for commuters, holiday travelers and shoppers.

In addition, the Corporation will add service to malls on certain bus routes during the holiday shopping season. Additional service will begin Thanksgiving weekend and continue through early January. Bus customers should check their timetables and notices on buses carefully for holiday service information. Additional bus service will operate to Bergen Mall, Elizabeth Center, Garden State Plaza, Jersey Gardens, Livingston Mall, Newport Centre Mall, Paramus Park Mall, The Mall at Short Hills, Willowbrook Mall and Woodbridge Center Mall in north Jersey. Buses will also be added on routes that serve Cherry Hill Mall, Hamilton Mall, Moorestown Mall, Quaker Bridge Mall and Shore Mall in south Jersey.

NJ TRANSIT's Weekend Family Super Saver Fare, which allows two children 11 and under to travel free with each fare-paying adult, will be in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 21 until 6 a.m. Monday, November 26. Senior citizen and round-trip excursion tickets will be valid without restriction throughout the period.

For further information, North Jersey customers can call NJ TRANSIT between 6 a.m. and midnight at 1-800-772-2222, or 973-762-5100 from out of state. In South Jersey, customers may call between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. at 1-800-582-5946, or 215-569-3752 from Pennsylvania. For persons with hearing impairments, the number is 1-800-772-2287. Customers can also obtain information from NJ TRANSIT's website,

All buses, trains and light rail lines will follow regular weekday schedules with additional service as noted below.

Bus

Beginning at 1 p.m., early getaway service will operate from the Port Authority Bus Terminal as customer demand warrants.

Rail

Northeast Corridor: A new early getaway train, train 8847, will depart New York Penn Station at 1:54 p.m., operate express between Newark International Airport and Metropark, then make all local stops to Trenton except Jersey Avenue. Train 8847 will arrive in Trenton at 3:09 p.m.

North Jersey Coast Line: Train 8301, an early getaway train, will depart Newark Penn Station at 3:49 p.m., operate express to Woodbridge, then make all stops to Bay Head, arriving there at 5:44 p.m. Passengers will not need to change trains at Long Branch.

Raritan Valley Line

Train 5425, the 1:06 p.m. departure from Newark Penn Station, will be extended to High Bridge and make all stops.

Train 8529, an early getaway train, will depart Newark Penn Station at 3:32 p.m. and make all stops to Raritan, arriving there at 4:29 p.m.

Train 5711, the 6:23 p.m. departure from Newark Penn Station, will be combined with train 5903, which leaves Newark at 6:29 p.m. The combined train makes all stops to High Bridge.

Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22

Bus and rail service will operate on a Sunday schedule, with added service to New York as noted below.

The Newark City Subway will NOT operate. Substitute bus service will be available on a Sunday schedule. Customers should check their timetables carefully.

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule.

Bus

Additional service will operate TO the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. as customer demand warrants.

Additional service will operate FROM the Port Authority Bus Terminal to New Jersey between noon and 3 p.m. as customer demand warrants.

Rail

Gladstone Branch

A MidTOWN DIRECT train will depart Gladstone at 7:18 a.m., make all stops to South Orange, then operate express to New York with intermediate stops at Brick Chuch and Newark Broad Street stations. The train will arrive in New York at 8:54 a.m.

A MidTOWN DIRECT train will depart New York at 12:15 p.m. and make all stops to Gladstone, where it will arrive at 1:55 p.m.

Morristown Line

An additional MidTOWN DIRECT train will depart Dover at 7:55 a.m., make all stops to Summit, then operate express to Newark Broad Street and New York. The train will arrive in New York at 9:10 a.m.

An additional MidTOWN DIRECT train will depart New York at 12:04 p.m. and make all stops to Dover, where it will arrive at 1:35 p.m.

Northeast Corridor

Three additional trains will operate to New York. These trains will depart New Brunswick at 6:30 a.m., 7:34 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., make all stops to Metropark then will run express to Newark Penn Station and New York. They will arrive in New York at 7:16 a.m., 8:27 a.m. and 9:16 a.m., respectively.

An additional train will depart New York at 11:23 a.m. and make all stops to New Brunswick except Newark International Airport Station (NIA) and North Elizabeth, arriving in New Brunswick at 12:17 p.m.

Two additional trains will operate from New York to Trenton. These trains will depart New York at 12:23 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. and make all stops except NIA, North Elizabeth and Jersey Avenue. They will arrive in Trenton at 1:43 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

Friday, November 23

Trains will operate on regular weekday schedules.

Buses will operate on either holiday, Saturday or weekday schedules, depending on the bus route. Customers should check their timetables carefully.

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekday schedule.

The Newark City Subway will operate on a modified weekday schedule with service every eight minutes during morning and afternoon peak periods.

Saturday, November 24

Regular Saturday service for trains and buses. Additional bus service will operate to malls on certain lines to accommodate holiday shoppers and employees.

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will be operating on a regular weekend schedule.

The Newark City Subway will NOT operate. Substitute bus service will be available on a Saturday schedule. Customers should check their timetables carefully.

Sunday, November 25

Regular Sunday schedule for trains and buses. Additional bus service will operate to malls to accommodate holiday shoppers and employees.

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will be operating on a regular weekend schedule.

The Newark City Subway will NOT operate. Substitute bus service will be available on a Sunday schedule. Customers should check their timetables carefully.